AB438: Bill Text

AB438,6,4 (4) Defenses to the imposition of liability under this section include:

AB438,6,6 (a) That a report that the vehicle was stolen was given to a traffic officer before the violation occurred or within a reasonable time after the violation occurred.

AB438,6,13 (b) If the owner of the vehicle provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the name and address of the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation and sufficient information for the officer to determine that probable cause does not exist to believe that the owner of the vehicle was operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation, then the owner of the vehicle shall not be liable under this section or under s. 346.94 (16).

AB438,6,18 (c) If the vehicle is owned by a lessor of vehicles and at the time of the violation the vehicle was in the possession of a lessee, and the lessor provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the information required under s. 343.46 (3), then the lessee and not the lessor shall be liable under this section or under s. 346.94 (16).

AB438,7,2 (d) If the vehicle is owned by a dealer, as defined in s. 340.01 (11) (intro.) but including the persons specified in s. 340.01 (11) (a) to (d), and at the time of the violation the vehicle was being operated by or was under the control of any person on a trial run, and if the dealer provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the name, address and operator's license number of the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control on a trial run, then that person, and not the dealer, shall be liable under this section or under the applicable provision of s. 346.94 (16).

AB438, s. 4 Section 4. 346.95 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB438,7,7 346.95 (1) Any person violating s. 346.87, 346.88, 346.89 (2), 346.90 to 346.92 or 346.94 (1), (9), (10), (11), (12), or (15) or (16) may be required to forfeit not less than $20 nor more than $40 for the first offense and not less than $50 nor more than $100 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year.

AB438, s. 5 Section 5. 346.95 (5e) of the statutes is created to read:

AB438,7,11 346.95 (5e) Any person violating s. 346.94 (16) may be required to forfeit not less than $40 nor more than $80 for the first offense and not less than $100 nor more than $200 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year.

AB438, s. 6 Section 6. 346.95 (5g) of the statutes is created to read:

AB438,7,18 346.95 (5g) A vehicle owner or other person found liable under s. 346.945 may be required to forfeit not less than $40 nor more than $80 for the first offense and not less than $100 nor more than $200 for the 2nd or subsequent conviction within a year. Imposition of liability under s. 346.945 shall not result in suspension or revocation of a person's operating license under s. 343.30, nor shall it result in demerit points being recorded on a person's driving record under s. 343.32 (2) (a).

AB438, s. 7 Section 7. 347.38 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 347.38 (1) (a) and amended to read:

AB438,7,24 347.38 (1) (a) No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon a highway unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 feet, but.

AB438,8,3 (b) Notwithstanding par. (a), no person shall at any time use a horn otherwise than as a reasonable warning or make any unnecessary or unreasonably loud or harsh sound by means of a horn or other warning device.

AB438, s. 8 Section 8. 347.385 of the statutes is created to read:

AB438,8,7 347.385 Vehicle owner's liability for horns and warning devices. (1) (a) The owner of a vehicle involved in a violation of s. 347.38 (1) (b) shall be presumed liable for the violation as provided in this section.

AB438,8,11 (b) Notwithstanding par. (a), no owner of a vehicle involved in a violation of s. 347.38 (1) (b) may be convicted under this section if the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation has been convicted for the violation under this section or under s. 347.38 (1) (b).

AB438,8,14 (2) A traffic officer may proceed under sub. (3) instead of stopping, pursuing or issuing a citation to the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of a violation of s. 347.38 (1) (b).

AB438,8,23 (3) (a) Within 72 hours after observing the violation or receiving information that provides a reasonable basis for the belief that a violation has been committed or that an investigation of a possible violation is warranted, the traffic officer shall investigate the violation and may prepare a uniform traffic citation under s. 345.11 for the violation and, within 96 hours after observing the violation or receiving information that provides a reasonable basis for the belief that a violation has been committed or that an investigation of a possible violation is warranted, any traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation may personally serve it upon the owner of the vehicle.

AB438,9,7 (b) If with reasonable diligence the owner cannot be served under par. (a), service may be made by leaving a copy of the citation at the owner's usual place of abode within this state in the presence of a competent member of the family at least 14 years of age, who shall be informed of the contents thereof. Service under this paragraph may be made by any traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation and shall be performed within 96 hours after the violation was observed or the traffic officer received information that provided a reasonable basis for the belief that a violation had been committed or that an investigation of a possible violation was warranted.

AB438,9,14 (c) If with reasonable diligence the owner cannot be served under par. (a) or (b) or if the owner lives outside of the jurisdiction of the issuing authority, service may be made by certified mail addressed to the owner's last-known address. Service under this paragraph shall be performed by posting the certified mail within 96 hours after the violation was observed or the traffic officer received information that provided a reasonable basis for the belief that a violation had been committed or that an investigation of a possible violation was warranted.

AB438,9,15 (4) Defenses to the imposition of liability under this section include:

AB438,9,17 (a) That a report that the vehicle was stolen was given to a traffic officer before the violation occurred or within a reasonable time after the violation occurred.

AB438,9,24 (b) If the owner of the vehicle provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the name and address of the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation and sufficient information for the officer to determine that probable cause does not exist to believe that the owner of the vehicle was operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control at the time of the violation, then the owner of the vehicle shall not be liable under this section or under s. 347.38 (1) (b).

AB438,10,5 (c) If the vehicle is owned by a lessor of vehicles and at the time of the violation the vehicle was in the possession of a lessee, and the lessor provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the information required under s. 343.46 (3), then the lessee and not the lessor shall be liable under this section or under s. 347.38 (1) (b).

AB438,10,13 (d) If the vehicle is owned by a dealer, as defined in s. 340.01 (11) (intro.) but including the persons specified in s. 340.01 (11) (a) to (d), and at the time of the violation the vehicle was being operated by or was under the control of any person on a trial run, and if the dealer provides a traffic officer employed by the authority issuing the citation with the name, address and operator's license number of the person operating the vehicle or having the vehicle under his or her control on a trial run, then that person, and not the dealer, shall be liable under this section or under s. 347.38 (1) (b).

AB438, s. 9 Section 9. 347.50 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:

AB438,10,19 347.50 (1g) A vehicle owner or other person found liable under s. 347.385 may be required to forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $200. Imposition of liability under s. 347.385 shall not result in suspension or revocation of a person's operating license under s. 343.30, nor shall it result in demerit points being recorded on a person's driving record under s. 343.32 (2) (a).

AB438, s. 10 Section 10. Initial applicability.

AB438,10,24 (1)  This act first applies to violations committed on the effective date of this subsection, but does not preclude the counting of other violations as prior violations for sentencing a person, impounding or seizing a sound-producing device or for suspending or revoking a person's operating privilege.

AB438,10,25 (End)